


Across the Stars

by TessaDoesThings



Series: Tessa's Soft Wars [5]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game), Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Cody Just Wanted To Sleep In, Felix Iresso is a Champion of Healthy Adult Communication, Fluff, Healthy Adult Communication, Honestly the Rift Alliance Needs to Chill, M/M, Nadia Grell is a Ray of Sunshine, No SWTOR Knowledge Needed, Star Wars AU - Soft Wars, Time Travel, attachment does not equal love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:07:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25605565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TessaDoesThings/pseuds/TessaDoesThings
Summary: When strange force things wake Cody in the middle of the night, a visitor from another time was the last thing he expected. But... she's in the middle of his quarters anyway."There is a Jedi balanced on the couch in the middle of Cody’s quarters. This is both totally normal and not at all normal. Obi-Wan balances on the armrest of the couch there all the time – he says something about the force flowing unusually there. Cody hadn’t thought anything of it at the time. Cody definitely thinks something of it now. "A very liberal interpretation of the Codywan week prompt #4 - time travel. There's more time travel than Codywan, but Cody still loves his Jedi very much.Written to require no knowledge of The Old Republic to enjoy!
Relationships: Boil/Waxer (Star Wars), CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Felix Iresso/Female Jedi Consular | Barsen'thor
Series: Tessa's Soft Wars [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1829968
Comments: 55
Kudos: 183
Collections: Open Source Soft Wars





	1. In Which Cody is Woken in the Middle of the Night

**Author's Note:**

> This story was beta'd by the incredible Aay'han Chek! Thank you to her for stepping in last minute to make sure this got out!

There is a Jedi balanced on the couch in the middle of Cody’s quarters. This is both totally normal and not at all normal. Obi-Wan balances on the armrest of the couch there all the time – he says something about the force flowing unusually there. Cody hadn’t thought anything of it at the time. Cody definitely thinks something of it now. There are three notable reasons why.

The first is that the only Jedi who has the pass to Cody’s quarters is tucked against his side in bed, using the thin blanket on top of them to hide that neither of them is wearing nearly as much clothing as they should be, while desperately inching said clothing back across the room towards them with the force.

The second reason is that in the space where Obi-Wan’s head usually stills when he meditates in that spot, there is now a giant black disk hovering in the air. It seems to rotate, although the only reason Cody can tell is the golden lettering around the side seems to shift with it. It could also be a trick of the light, or the force. Cody wouldn’t be able to tell, it’s not a language or character system he’s familiar with though. Cody already knows that once he’s dressed, Obi-Wan will want to study this extensively. He's cute that way, his _jetti_.

The third reason is that according to the holoclock on the wall, it is approximately stupid’o’clock, and Cody just got Obi-Wan to go to sleep barely two hours ago. He could have had several more before it was time to get up.

Cody turns his most withering glare on the intruder in his quarters. It’s the glare he uses for shinies who have Karked Up Big. It’s mostly a cover to conceal the way Cody catalogs as much intel as he can about her. She’s clearly a Jedi, although the human female is dressed far… showier than most of the Jedi he has met. Her robes are white and gold decorations and a long dusty-golden skirt. She has medium length grey hair, which she has tied back to frame her face in a bob, and a moon charm rests on her forehead. Honestly, she’s wearing what looks to be slim white and gold upper-body armor that hugs her figure, and this was almost worth it just to ask her where she got it, and would they do one for his general as well?

She has also nearly lost her balance and toppled off of the couch with a shriek. Her blue-gray eyes are confused, and now that she’s sprawled on Cody’s floor, it’s pretty clear that this is not how she expected events to go either. She shoots a look of pure betrayal at the couch before she turns her face back to the room’s two inhabitants and raises her hands in a clear surrender.

“In my defense? The Noetikons made me do it.” She says, and that means nothing to Cody, but Obi-Wan shakes with barely contained laughter. It’s nothing obvious, but Cody knows him. It’s the same look he gets when he watches General Skywalker have to try to talk Commander Tano into doing her homework, or when they get into their strange heated-not-heated arguments.

“Oh? Which ones, if you don’t mind me asking? I shall have to speak to whichever master is spending their existence dropped unfamiliar Jedi into councilor’s private quarters without warning.” Cody turns his Jedi, about to make a comment about the fact that this was his quarters, but other than Obi-Wan’s attempts to grab the robe he has now dragged across the floor, the general is fairly relaxed. No obvious intent to harm, then. Cody still pulls his DC pistol out from where it had been tucked into the mattress, but does her the courtesy of keeping hidden for now.

“The Noetikon of Shadows, I believe.” The Jedi in gold is rising to her feet. As her skirt shifts, Cody can see that her ‘saber is tucked far back along her belt, in an inconvenient spot just out of immediate grabbing range. Not a fighter then, or at least someone who doesn’t often draw their blade in a pinch. Otherwise, Cody has no idea what a Noetikon is, but the response leads Obi-Wan into a wince that is both dramatized and clearly all for show.

“That does sound like Master Altax. For all that he is preserved in a Noetikon associated with darkness, I have always heard that he takes deep pleasure in mischief.” Obi-Wan passes Cody the top of his blacks, which the Commander wiggles into ungracefully as his partner slides into his robe.

“Unfortunately, this is no act of mischief. Councilor, the Republic, and I are in dire need of your assistance.” Cody barely bites back his response of ‘so, business as usual.’ Still, the lazy mood that had settled over the room was dispelled, and both Jedi and Clone were on alert now, even if visibly all they had done was get out of bed.

“In that case, may I have the honor of knowing who I am speaking too?” Obi-Wan asks with a flourish that doesn’t all hide from Cody that the caf machine has just been set to brew another pot. The female Jedi pauses for a moment before she steels herself and responds.

“I have been often called the Barsen’thor.” She says, and really, Cody feels stifled by the amount of Jedi nonsense in the room. Clearly though, this title definitely means something to Obi-Wan.

“That can’t be right, no one has been granted that title since the third Barsen’thor, over three thousand years ago,” Obi-Wan responds like he isn’t using the force to move a mug from Cody’s cupboard to the caf dispenser. The other Jedi frowns, but not in a confused manner, which means she might actually have some answers. Cody hopes so. For all that he doesn’t follow the conversation, he knows that Obi-Wan in confused as well, and now it sounds like there is force nonsense involved as well as Jedi nonsense. And here Cody thought that he might have been able to sleep in for once. How novel.

“Three thousand years? I knew they would send me far, but not nearly that far.” The Barsen’thor mutters. Oh, so this was intentional force nonsense. She visibly composes herself, before turning to face both of them, as Cody moved across the room to stand at his Jedi’s back. “I am afraid I am, in fact, the third Barsen’thor. The Noetikons who sent me here told me that I would be able to get a fighting force strong enough to hold off the Sith Attack long enough for the Republic to properly gather their own forces from where they are scattered.” And, doesn’t that sound kriffing familiar. Cody had never understood when he heard Obi-Wan tell Commander Tano that history repeats itself, but he might get it now. And honestly? Kark history.

“I do believe you have quite the story to tell us, my dear, but we should be able to help you,” Obi-Wan says, and Cody watches as the previously dignified and composed Jedi seemed to practically collapse with relief. “I’m Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, and this is my second in command, Commander Cody of the 212th.”

“Nice to meet you.” Cody chimes in with a tired smile.

“The pleasure is all mine, commander.” She responds, touching her hand against her chest and tipping her head towards him with a small smile. “Alright. So, approximately 36 hours ago, some kind of signal must have gone out, because over two hundred sleeper agents calling themselves the Children of the Emperor sprung into action and sabotaged every system across the republic, just in time for a huge force to attack the republic on our weakest front. We need a fighting force strong enough to hold off the Sith and their Empire long enough for us to regain order and maneuver our troops to defend ourselves. I went to the Noetikons for advice – they sent me here.” Obi-Wan says something in response, but Cody loses it as Obi-Wan whispers down their bond at him.

 _The Noetikons are a collection of the memories and personalities of important Jedi Masters from the past._ And oh, that makes more sense. Cody reevaluates the conversation he’s listened to before and decides that the preserved spirits of Jedi long past is hardly the weirdest part of today, but he trusts his general.

 _And the Barsen’thor?_ Cody pushes back across.

 _Ah, it means Warden of the Order. The title is awarded to a Jedi who has made a great sacrifice to protect the rest of the Order. I… don’t actually remember how she earned her title. Something to do with a Sith Plague?_ And okay, it probably isn’t relevant right now, so Cody puts that out of his mind for now.

“Alright then. I’m going to comm the rest of the council… and Anakin, Cody, would you take the Barsen’thor to meet with the rest of Ghost so that you can prepare?” Obi-Wan finishes out loud.

“Of course,” Cody says with a slight wince when he looks at the clock – Shank will be an absolute nightmare, but if he’s careful and doesn’t wake Numa, Waxer and Boil shouldn’t be too terrible? “If you’ll come with me?” He offers the female Jedi.

“After you, Commander.” She says, and he makes a show of offering an arm to her, and then when Obi-Wan is distracted, Cody snags his freshly poured cup of caf. He then does not beeline out the door, nor he does ignore his lover’s protests with a smug grin. That finally gets a small giggle out of the otherwise very formal Jedi, and Cody is struck by how young she looks. For all her titles, she doesn’t look much older than Rex’s Ahsoka. That’s it.

“It’s going to be alright, Master Jedi. Ghost Company is the best in the GAR, we’ll make sure everything works out in the end.” He reassures her, and Cody may be no Jedi, may not have the ability to sense emotions in the force, but he can see the way she tries to hide the relief that flickers across her face at the reassurance. It reminds Cody of Rex, in a way, when he finally has a space to let go of his responsibility and be looked after.

Yeah, Ghost is going to make sure she’s alright, 3,000 years from the past or not.


	2. In Which Cody Uses Adopt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cody uses adopt! It's super effective!

“I cannot believe anyone thought this was a good idea.” Spite repeats for what has to be the seventh or eighth time. Cody shoots him a look and a quick battlesign quiet this time though because since the last time he’d said it, both the Barsen’thor and Obi-Wan had entered the room, and the younger Jedi immediately tenses up. Luckily, Waxer steps in to cover for his vod with the speed of a man raising a young teenager.

“You say that about literally everything we have ever done!” He cuts back at the Medic with amusement. The little bit of tension bleeds back out of the white-haired Jedi’s shoulders and while she doesn’t smile the way that Cody has seen other Jedi do, but she shifted her eyebrows and twitched her lips in a way that Cody has begun to recognize as amusement on her face.

“Attention!” Cody clapped his hands together, and the members of his Ghost Command all turns to face him, distractions being shuffled away. “May I introduce Ghost Command Squadron?” He offers to the Barsen’thor, gesturing to the three vode gathered around the table. “Lieutenant Waxer; Scout Commander, Lieutenant Boil; Heavy Gunner Commander, and Lieutenant Spite; Head Medic.” Each vod waved in response to their name being called.

“It’s an honor to meet all of you gentlemen.” She said, her voice steely polite yet warm, and she brought her hand up against her chest, giving a gentle bow. Cody was very grateful he’d put his bucket on beforehand, as it hid the smirk that crossed his face as the three lieutenants visible flailed for a moment in the face of what Cody was discovering was unflinching politeness. As he watched, Boil recovered first.

“Well General, I was starting to think there was no such things as a polite Jedi!” Boil covers the extra moments of surprise from the other two, only a little bit of his natural bite coming through. Clearly, Cody isn’t the only one who’s noticed the Barsen’thor’s tension. Obi-Wan makes a deliberate noise of amusement.

“I believe you’ll find that I can be polite, I simply find some situations call for it more than others.” Cody’s general responds, eyes twinkling with mischief.

“Right then,” Cody cuts in, because he knows exactly how long this discussion can go on for if he lets it, “I briefed them on what you’ve told us of the situation while you two filled in the council-”

“And while you got something to eat,” Spite cuts in, but really, Cody thinks he’s being far too optimistic there, and the evidence supports him as both of the Jedi shift awkwardly and don’t respond. Spite lets out a long-suffering sigh. “Sir, you know what The Manual says about skipping meals.” Obi-Wan coils up and makes a sound of deep irritation that Cody is sure is at least 70% for show.

“What manual?” the Barsen’thor asks, her hands gesturing in front of herself as she takes an aborted step forward. Spite grins.

“The Manual. It’s the comprehensive guide to proper care and feeding of one’s Jedi.” Spite comments, just a hint of smugness clear in his tone of voice. Which, given the role Cody had heard he had played in creating it, was well deserved. At that, the younger Jedi’s face broke out into a bright if small grin. It wasn’t much, but coming from the normally reserved girl, it was practically cackling with laughter. It was a bright thing, full of warmth for all its small size. Cody finds that suddenly he understands what Grey had meant when he about younger Jedi and their stoic yet soft smiles the last time drinking had turned into parenting hours.

“Alright then, Jed’ika, tell us what you need,” Boil comments with gruff bluntness, which is taken in stride, but it’s clear that she has no idea what has been said. She’s just rolling with it. She takes a deep breath.

“About a week ago in my time, the Sith Empire broke the treaty of Coruscant, which had held a fragile peace between them and the Republic. They did so by sending a signal to sleeper agents who were embedded in every vital system of the republic, crippling it in a devastating strike before striking crushing blows on nearly every one of our Outer Rim fronts that we could have retaliated from. Only a handful of fronts remain – a collection of worlds known as the Rift Alliance. They had previously been considering succeeding the republic, and thus had largely removed themselves from standard republic support systems, choosing instead to support themselves. About a month and a half ago, I was sent by the chancellor to negotiate with the members of the Rift Alliance to assure their continued alliagence. The negotiations were completed moments before the treaty was broken, and as such when the Sith sleeper agent revealed himself, I was able to defeat him. Now, I have been charged with holding and protecting the worlds of the Rift Alliance so that once the Republic manages to regain control over their systems, there will still be a planet to launch a counterattack from. However, the Senate was unable to send me any troops and instructed me to find my own. My attempt to do so led me here, to you.” Cody spots that General Kenobi has a datapad out, clearly making notes as she talks. Cody, however, finds himself once again thankful for his bucket as he realizes just how much the young Jedi has handled, even though he knows that Jedi Master or not, she couldn’t possibly be much older than General Skywalker had been at the start of the war. Cody suddenly understands the many conversations he’s had to hear and read about wanting vode wanting to swaddle their padawan commanders in blankets. He’s going to get **so** **much** osik about this from Bly when he finds out.

“Alright then. The five of us will join you to act as representatives at first, and then once we have a full understanding of the planets and situations at hand, we will call the rest of the battalion through to join us.” Obi-Wan announces to a round of solid yes-sirs, and a lazy salute from Spite.

“Give us a couple of minutes to grab our gear, then we’ll be ready.” Waxer throws out, already rising to his feet alongside Boil. Spite follows after the two of them, and then the Jedi’ika turns to Cody.

“Commander... what does Jed’ika mean?” She asks, verbally stumbling over the unfamiliar word.

“It means, my dear, that they like you.” Obi-Wan cuts in smoothly with a grin. Cody rolls his eyes.

“It literally means Little Jedi, but he’s not wrong. It’s a term of affection.” Cody comments and then decides that the small fidget she makes is her version of blushing. It’s very cute and, oh force, he will never hear the end of this from Bly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was supposed to be a one-shot. Now it is not.


	3. In Which Cody Attempts to Journey Into the Unknown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cody and his team head back to the Barsen'thor's time. It... almost goes as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just caught that halfway through chapter 2, the name of the 212th medic changed from the Soft Wars Medic to the 212th Medic in Blackkkat's fics? So that's been fixed now. Oops. For clarification, the Medic with them is Proje's OC, Spite, not Shank.

“If I die, send my guns to Rex!” Cody calls out to the group of his vode. He’s balanced on a stepstool where the couch had once been in his quarters. Boil had moved it aside so that they can get closer to the disturbance that had brought the little Jed’ika through time. Cody was dressed in nearly a full kit, the weight almost reassuring as it pressed down into his armor, grounding the commander against the sheer level of force nonsense around him.

Cody hears a noise of distress from Waxer – Cody knew the Scout Commander has been pining after his modified DC for longer than he’s been pining after Boil. Cody dutifully ignores him then braces himself and walks right through the giant glowing black rings of force nonsense. Immediately, it’s like being pulled apart and stretched as far as he could go across a distance he can’t comprehend, and then like his body snapped back into place again.

There’s a flash of bright blinding light that still manages to be solid black, and then a wave of voices crashes over his mind so quickly that Cody understands exactly none of them, can pick out no words or tones from the din of sound. He’s standing on a glowing pathway as though it was a normal pathway, but it seems to go straight up and now, as much as he can make out up and down wherever he is now. There are no walls, no ceilings, and no floor beyond the pathways that wrap around each other like tangled wires, suspended in an expanse of nothing.

Cody’s focus is immediately drawn to a ring floating ahead of him. He’s not sure why, but it seems to call to him, pulling him forward. He moves towards it along the illogical pathway, going straight down as though he was simply crossing the bridge of the negotiator. The ring is created by two rings, and a collection of characters in a language Cody can’t read, but some of them he does recognize from the similar ring currently suspended in his quarters. The ones in front of him are silver instead of gold. Cody hopes that’s a good thing. He steps through, and everything flashes to black again. Idly, he wonders why he feels like he’s falling.

* * *

The first thing that Cody became aware of was the feeling of warmth in his hand. Then, a familiar texture resting against the palm of that hand, and oh, that was a hand in his hand. Cody tried to squeeze it. When his arm didn’t agree with that plan, Cody forced his eyes open so that he can properly convey the way the limb has betrayed him. The light that flashes and dances across his vision is enough like the flash of light that he last remembers that he lets out a groan.

“Cody! You’re awake!” The hand in Cody’s squeezed at the same time as his lover’s voice washed over him. He could also now feel Obi-Wan’s other hand gently resting behind Cody’s head.

“What… happened?” He groans, and this time manages to successfully squeeze the other hand. He takes a deep, controlled breath, and then opens his eyes, powering through the spots in his vision to see his lover’s face.

“It appears, love, that while force users had no trouble using the Barsen’thor’s passageway though time, it rendered you and your vode unconscious.” Force, sometimes Cody really hates the Force. Could it maybe not.

“How long?” He groans out, shifting onto his side to face his Jedi. Obi-Wan’s hand moves away Cody’s head, and the commander takes a moment to mourn the loss of the warmth, even as he can see him reaching to set something down behind him.

“Just about an hour and a half.” His Jedi says, settling into a seated position on the cot next to Cody. With a smirk, Cody braces himself on Obi-Wan’s arm, and pulls himself up to a matching seated position, leaning against his lover’s side.

“Just our luck, derailed by more karking Force Nonsense.” He groans out, and that gets a laugh from Obi-Wan. Cody leans forward and catches his ridiculous Jedi in a light kiss. He can feel Obi-Wan’s mouth gently twist up into a smile from the worried frown it had been.

“There’s no such thing as luck.” Obi-Wan murmurs, voice hitching as Cody deepens the kiss, nipping at the corner of his mouth. Cody can feel his lover’s hand grabbing at the back of his blacks, fingers tangling in the fabric, pulling them closer together.

The moment is ruined when one of Cody’s vode let out a long and slow whistle, and both Cody and Obi-Wan freeze, suddenly aware of the public nature of the space they were in. No matter what Obi-Wan believes, this is the actual worst luck, or the force must be making a serious effort to block Cody’s attempts to get some quality time with his lover.

“Cyare, do me a favor.” Cody begins, and Obi-Wan, detaching himself from Cody in the only way that can possibly be considered dignified, hums curiously. “Please, find out who that was so I can put them on KP duty for the rest of the war.” That gets a small giggle out of Obi-Wan, who pecks Cody on the check, despite the heckling that inspires, and then strides off to where Cody assumes the rest of his Vode are settled. Cody watches him go with the smug realization that he’s the only one of Ghost Squadron who has managed to pull themselves into a seated position.

“Excuse me? Commander?” The Barsen’thor’s voice reaches Cody, and he turns towards the door in the corner, where the younger Jedi is hovering uncertainty. Cody’s seen shiny brothers do it when they’re not sure if they’ll be welcome, when they’re first finding their place in the 212th. It’s not any easier to watch here. Cody beckons her forward, and shifts himself across the cot he’s lying on so that there’s obvious space for someone else to sit without being quite so close as Obi-Wan had been earlier.

“Hello there, Jed’ika. What’s on your mind?” He asks, and she comes over to him, but doesn’t sit. Instead, she gives some kind of aborted half-motion with her hands before speaking.

“I wanted to apologize, Commander. It was my mistake that landed you and your men in the medbay, I should have anticipated that the gateway wouldn’t be designed for non-force-users.” Cody gave a small sigh, and patted the mattress next to him, clearly indicating that he wanted her to join him in sitting.

“You have nothing to apologize for. It’s just weird Force osik. No one ever knows how it works or what it’s going to do.” He comments, and the Barsen’thor settles onto the mattress next to him in a very controlled manner. It can’t possibly be comfortable.

“But I’m supposed to have this special connection the Force, I should know things like this!” She bursts out, and then her eyes widen just enough that it’s clear she didn’t mean to say it out loud, that she can’t believe she actually said that out loud. Then, with some clarity, she resigns herself to her mistake and she adds, “I’m the Barsen’thor, I shouldn’t be making mistakes like this.” She hunches in on herself a little bit, and Cody wants to know if she tells herself these things, or if someone else told them to her.

“Can I hold you?” He asks her, and she blinks in surprise. A single confused sound slips past her lips, but she nods, and so Cody wraps his arm around her shoulders, pulling her a little closer until she eases into it, tucking herself against his side. “You know, I know another Jedi who’s supposed to have a special connection to the Force. He’s Obi-Wan’s former padawan. I don’t know the details of it, but I understand he’s very connected to the raw Force. But that doesn’t mean he magically understands how it works, or that it never manages to surprise him.” Cody pauses for a moment, for dramatic effect. “In fact, He’s kind of a moron.”

When Cody looks back down and the Barsen’thor’s face, a small smile has broken out across it, and there’s an amused twinkle in her eyes that reminds Cody of Obi-Wan, and he squeezes her shoulder very briefly before continuing. “And you know, everyone makes mistakes. You didn’t get that title because you never made one. People get titles and rewards for what they do in the face of their mistakes, how they move past them. And besides, it’s impossible to predict the Force, especially on a technique you’ve never used before. I think it exists just to inconvenience us.” The deadpan delivery of Cody’s concluding line pulls what Cody is pretty sure is a giggle from the young Jedi.

Behind them, Cody can see Obi-Wan approaching. Spite is one step beside behind him, and Cody can hear him harassing Waxer about the way the scout is leaning on Boil, but it sounds like a Vode-Sharing-Bunks kind of thing, and not a medical issue, so Cody doesn’t worry. “Besides, Jed’ika, there was no harm done. See? We’re all fine now, and you’ll know for future reference. It’s not your fault, it’s okay.” Cody says as he squeezes her shoulder one last time before he gets to his feet.

“Alright Commander. Now then, I promised the rest of my crew I’d introduce you all as soon as you were up and about, so if you’ll follow me?” She stands as well and starts heading to the door. Cody and Obi-Wan are both two steps behind her, right next to each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cody: We have a plan, let's do this!  
> The Force: Yes but what if it went off the rails right away


	4. In Which Cody Meets With the Jedi Council of Old

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cody meets: A lovestruck lieutenant, A senator, and Three Jedi Masters. He has mixed feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Felix Iresso and the Jedi Consular is one of the healthiest, cutest relationships in star wars because he is a sweet man and a respectful friend. 
> 
> Bioware, stop hurting him. Let them be happy.

“Master Jedi!” A fond voice calls out as soon as the Barsen’thor enters the main chamber of her ship, and Cody, Obi-Wan and their Vode are just one step below her on the stairs. The man who approaches is in something that looks like a cross between Cody’s armor and his dress greys. The insignia on the side is familiar though, marking him a Lieutenant. Unless the Republic has changed which insignia aligns with which rank, which Cody wouldn’t put past them.

The man comes to a stop in front of them, and Cody takes a moment to marvel at the similarities between him and the Vode. The man’s skin might be darker, but he carries himself much like they do. His dark, curly hair is cut down a regulation short inch long. He has a tattoo on the left side of his face. Two thing short bars which run from his cheek to his ears, where they meet one long stripe that runs down halfway his neck, then wraps around out of sight. His face looks young, (an image helped by a splattering of freckles across his nose), and he doesn’t look all that much older than the Baresen’thor, but there is the same aged weight to his brown eyes. There’s a light in them, too, when he looks at Cody’s new jed’ika, and Cody recognizes the look of a Vod with a crush. “Oh! Commander, I’m glad you’re awake.” He adds and smiles at Cody and his Vode. The Barsen’thor steps away from Cody to stand beside the newcomer.

“Lieutenant Iresso, this is Commander Cody and his team, Lieutenants Waxer, Boil, and Spite. And you already met Master Kenobi.” Cody gives a polite smile and a nod when he’s introduced, and the members of his commander team each wave when their name is mentioned. “And, Commander, this is Lieutenant Felix Iresso, a trusted member of my team.” Her message is clear – this man is someone she trusts, not one of the politicians she had mentioned were aboard, back during her brief on the Negotiator.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir.” Lieutenant Iresso adds, extending a hand. Cody takes his hand and shakes it, reminding himself at the last minute that Iresso isn’t a Vod or a Mandolorian, so he wouldn’t be going for a forearm grip.

“Same to you.” He responds without the as much formality, and that gets an easy smile from the Lieutenant and a subtly grin from Cody’s jed’ika.

“Master Jedi, a there’s a Holocall coming in!” A voice calls from the next room over, and she gives the tiniest of huffs in response.

“Well then, let us go see who is coming us before Senator Grell gets too upset.” She comments with a serene expression on her face, as she turns and heads into the next room. Cody follows, taking Obi-Wan’s hand in his as he goes. Obi-Wan entwines their fingers, so clearly he doesn’t mind.

The next room in the ship is large and circular, built around a large circular object in the middle, approximately the size of a small table. It’s covered in buttons, and the man who Cody assumes must be Senator Grell pushes a couple of them, and the familiar blue light of a holo springs up above the table in, depicting three unfamiliar humans. The Barsen’thor steps forward to address them, and Lieutenant Iresso steps back to stand between Spite and Waxer.

“That’s the Jedi Council. The man with short hair on the left is Master Jaric Kaedan, the man with the longer hair pulled back is Master Syo Bakarn, and the woman on the right with the four short braids is Master Satele Shan.” Iresso murmurs, and inclines his head in thanks, while he hears Waxer thanking him verbally.

“Barsen’thor.” Master Bakarn begins, and the addressed Jedi straightens up, however subtle the motion is. Someone she respects, then. “I see you’ve had some success with the lead from the Noetikons.”

“Indeed, Master Bakarn. They sent me to another timeline, where I met Master Kenobi,” And Obi-Wan waves with his free hand when he’s mentioned, “And when he learned why I was there, he offered the help of the battalion under his command.

“That is good news indeed.” Master Shan chimes in.

“We are ready to move as soon as you tell us which front needs us the most.” Cody’s jed’ika responds, but the moment of hesitation on behalf of the council sends a bad feeling to Cody’s gut.

“Actually, we’ve received different instructions for you. A direct order from the senate. You are to travel to the planet Voss, and recruit as many of their Mystics to join the republic.” Master Kaedan looks like he’d just had some of the moonshine produced by the 501st’s engineers, possibly while attending a funeral. Cody waits for the response he’d come to expect from Jedi faced with unreasonable orders – the outrage, the irritation. But the Barsen’thor shows none of that, her face an inexpressive calm.

“Be warned. We believe the Mystics are an organization of grey force users. They have visions of the future, and use those to govern their planet.” Master Shan added, and Cody can feel Obi-Wan shifting next to him. Cody doesn’t know what has him concerned, so he settles from running his thumb in calming circles on the back of Obi-Wan’s hand.

“This is the Voss’ first foray into the wider galaxy, and as it stands, both the Republic and the Empire are competing for their allegiance. The Voss are very strict – do not get involved with an altercation with the Empire. It will destroy any chance of diplomacy.” Master Bakarn finishes.

“I understand what the Republic has asked, Masters, but wouldn’t make more sense to send someone else? Surely, we are needed to repel the empire’s forces.” The Baresen’thor responds, and Cody is reminded far more of Obi-Wan’s attempts to reason with Skywalker than of any of Skywalker or Tano’s conversations with the council.

“The Empire is attempting to convince the Voss the Republic is too weak and scattered to protect them. The hope is that the strength of the Rift Alliance will prove otherwise.” Master Shan responds, and that dang, that sounds like a fair point, vaguely misleading point thought it is. He can’t really blame them though if these Mystics can really see the future, Cody understands why the Republic can’t let the Empire have them. He would fight tooth and nail to keep them from the Seps.

“Besides, I believe it is more effective to increase your fighting force into a single decisive one, rather than create several smaller ones.” Master Keadan adds, and if it had been Master Windu speaking, Cody would probably dispute that statement, but it isn’t, so Cody keeps his mouth shut, especially as the Baresen’thor shifts a little, but gives in.

“Yes, Masters.” She leans forward and presses a button on the table, ending the holocall. She then turns to Iresso. “I’m going to plot a course for Voss. Could you inform the others downstairs of our course? I’ll speak to the rest of the Rift Alliance after we’re underway.”

“Of course, Master Jedi,” Iresso responds. His eyes meet hers, and Cody watches and a light blush dusts across the young Lieutenant’s face and a small but very genuine smile crosses hers.

“Oh, young love,” Obi-Wan whispers to Cody, and Cody grins, and catches his lover’s mouth in a chaste kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I skip out on going to Belsavis entirely? Yes. There is no need for a Deus Ex Army frozen in totally-not-carbonite, they have a Deus Ex Army from the future instead.
> 
> This was mostly exposition. Next time, The Attachment Conversation, where Cody pushes young love along.


	5. In Which Cody Gives the Attachement Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cody and Felix Iresso have an important conversation, and Cody meets his third child.

Cody tries to follow Obi-Wan and the Jed’ika that Obi-Wan has adopted without realizing yet, but after about three minutes in the room with the politicians who were currently aboard the Barsen’thor’s ship. They insisted that they were not senators, but members of the Rift Alliance, a smaller group of planetary representatives who included one senator and planets who _might_ join the republic. Cody finds them just as, if not more, insufferable and demanding than any of the senators he has ever worked with back home. Cody excuses himself with something that at least resembled manners, he hopes, and goes to explore the ship.

Mostly, the ship isn’t all that different from the ones in his time, which surprises Cody. Although, there are some things that looked familiar but where larger. Cody is pretty sure he recognizes the engines as being much larger than on Skywalker’s ship. There’s also a droid Cody is pretty sure is a protocol droid, which introduces itself as C2-N2 and manages to somehow be more twitchy and annoying than the one Skywalker built, or any of the extensive rants about Skywalker’s protocol droid that Cody has listened to, courtesy of Wolffe.

As he ducks through the halls, Cody’s pretty sure that he spots a Trandosian cleaning a huge knife in one corner, a human male fiddling with a hologram of some kind, and a green Twi’lek who is using the same holodevice that the Jedi council had called on earlier. Cody ducks back down the stairs in the direction of the medbay. Spite, Bore, and Waxer all went back to ‘touch bases’ as soon as it became clear that the Rift Alliance is the same as the Senate. On the way. though, Iresso steps through a doorway and waves to Cody.

“Commander, Hey!” Iresso calls to Cody with a grin.

“Lieutenant.” Cody nods to the other man.

“Have you met Nadia Grell?” Iresso gestures to the girl, maybe 17 or eighteen years old beside him. She waves. Her hair is the same silver-grey color as the Barsen’thor’s. Cody would wonder if they were related if it wasn’t for the purple markings on her face which matched those of the one senator in the rift alliance personally – and that the two share the last name Grell.

“I’m Commander Cody. It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am” He greets her, and she gives a bright grin.

“Hi! It’s nice to meet you!” She beams at him, like one of the littlest ik’aade[1] that Colt and his Rancor troops have started raising back on Kamino, the ones who came from the tubes destroyed during Grevious’ assault on Tipoca City. Her teeth are _really_ white. Cody idly wonders if it’s a quirk of her particular species of near-human.

“Commander, do you have a moment? I’d like a word.” Iresso comments, and Cody nods.

“I’ll see you later then, Lieutenant!” Nadia chirps at him, then practically bounces away to wherever she is going. If asked, Cody will deny his quick grin at how energetic she is.

“She’s a cute kid.” Iresso comments with a smile, and Cody can’t help but agree, but he also is considering diagnosing Iresso with Waxer-I’ve-Adopted-This-Child-Now syndrome. It’s adorable.

“You wanted to talk?” Cody asks, making his way to a couch that’s been shoved in one corner of the wide hallway, and sitting down. Iresso slides down next to him, not quite relaxed but certainly more at rest then he had been when they first met.

“Yeah. Yeah, it’s about the Jedi, actually?” Cody blinks in surprise, then realizes he didn’t have his bucket on, which means that others could see when he does that.

“If this is a conversation about the Jedi, I can go get General Kenobi?” Cody offers. “Or the Barsen’thor, they can answer your questions more accurately,” Cody responds, and a bright flush covers Iresso’s face.

“No, it’s alright, I think you’re the best one for this conversation, Commander.” Is the response, and oh, Cody is starting to understand where this is going.

“In that case, go ahead,” Cody responded, and Iresso nodded.

“Sir, it’s just… gah. There’s no good way to start this.” Cody knows that feeling. He can sympathize.

“When in doubt, it’s better to just dive off the deep end and go for it. Besides, nothing can be more awkward than some of the conversations I have had with my brothers.” That gets a snort out of the younger man, so Cody considers that a mission success.

“It’s just- I like the Barsen’thor probably more than I should, or at least more than I should like a Jedi.” Iresso comments, and wow, okay, this is a familiar conversation. Welcome to the crushing on my Jedi club, young one. Cody resists the urge to slap him on the back.

“I know that feeling,” Cody responds with a grin.

“Yeah, that’s why I asked you. I uh- I saw you guys together earlier. I didn’t know that Jedi… did things like that.” Cody can’t stop the small bark of laughter that slips out.

“Yeah, we can file that under popular misconceptions about the Jedi that are apparently timeless.” Cody deadpans back and earns an amused smile in response.

“Are there a lot of those?” Iresso asks.

“Well, there are certainly a lot of them by my time.” Cody offers, and Iresso moans and drops his face into his hands.

“That figures.” Iresso groaned out. And looked up. “I don’t know anything about the Jedi, except for the things that everyone says. But one of those things is that the Jedi are always alone, so I don’t know if any of it is true.” The Lieutenant continued.

“That sounds like a conversation you should have with the Barsen’thor.” Cody grins at him. “From experience, they know those misconceptions are out there, and they’re almost always happy to talk about them. Besides,” and Cody lets himself to nudge the younger man playfully. “It’s an excuse to spend time with her.” Iresso blushes, and Cody dives in for the kill. “Alone.” He adds. Really, that was an impressive blush. Iresso’s freckles are really visible now on the bridge of his nose. Iresso freezes up for a moment, and Cody can actually pinpoint the moment where the Lieutenant’s brain restarts. An impressive noise slips out of his mouth.

“I- I thought I was misreading something, but she’s totally been flirting with me this whole time, hasn’t she.” Iresso realizes in a total deadpan. Cody does his very best to stifle the cackling laughter that threatens to slip out.

“Probably. From my experience, most of the Jedi are unapologetic flirts.” Cody responds, and Iresso drops his face back into his palms.

“I usually try so hard to avoid buying into assumptions like this. I can’t believe I let myself buy in here.”

“Well, to be fair, this is an easy mistake to make – the Jedi are big on avoiding what they call attachment, and a lot of people assume that means they don’t love,” Cody chimes back in, and Iresso turns to Cody with an unspoken question. “They mean a possessive, selfish, controlling obsession when they say attachment. They mean a relationship that they would let a world burn for, a relationship that prevents them from doing their duty.”

“I- I should go talk to her.” Iresso comments and Cody gives him a cheeky salute.

“Go forth, Lieutenant.” He adds. “You should have a couple more hours of hyperspace. Make the most of them.” Iresso blushes, and it makes him look even younger than usual, and he starts to head up the stairs.

Which is of course when they get the urgent holocall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Ik'aade means children in Mando'a. [return to text]
> 
> Some days, the emergency is timed perfectly to block the Healthy Adult Communication.
> 
> Look, we love Felix Iresso a lot, okay?
> 
> Colt and his Ik'aade come from the Raising Warriors series by CmomCmon, go read it, it's great, Cmon fixed, among other things, the Battle of Kamino.


	6. In Which Cody Gossips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plot and Gossip.

“They called the wrong Jedi.” Obi-Wan repeats from where he is standing next to Cody. He sounds either like he’s about to burst into tears or laughter. Cody can absolutely relate. It’s the way he feels every time the CCs get back on their banthashit. Cody just claps a hand on his _jetti_ ’s shoulder in solidarity, and Obi-Wan leans into it, shoulders shaking as he barely concealed whichever reaction he has decided is more appropriate.

From across the room, Cody watches as Nadia Grell fixes both him and Obi-Wan with a _withering_ glare. Without his helmet, Cody can’t hide the way he smirks back at her. As Cody watches, Iresso kicks Nadia in the leg and gestures towards the holocall in front of them. Nadia fixes them with a final glare before turning her attention back onto the Republic soldier on the call. Obi-Wan, who, like Cody, has the benefit of not being visible on the call, turns and hides his expression in Cody’s shoulder.

“With all due respect, Master Jedi, you’re the only one close enough to help us.” The soldier who never properly introduced himself insists at Cody’s jed’ika in an angry tone that implies exactly zero respect and makes Cody want to commit an act of violence.

“I never said I wouldn’t help,” The barsen’thor pauses for a moment, her eyes scanning over the soldier in front of her, probably for a sign of rank. There aren’t any on his uniform. “I just don’t know anything about the situation.” This conversation has been going around in circles since they received the call. Cody admires (and secretly wishes he had) her patience.

“We transmitted the situation report both to your ship and to your council.” The soldier repeats the line that is basically his mantra. At this point, if it weren’t for the official Republic military channel that the call had come through, Cody would think this a prank call.

“I’m not the Jedi who received those files, nor was I sent a brief for the mission from the council.” The barsen’thor also repeats what she has said before, but raises a hand to head of the reaction she knows to expect. “That does not mean I can’t or won’t help, but I need to know the situation before I can help.”

“We need urgent assistance, Master Jedi-” As their caller launches back into his speech again, Cody watches as Iresso steps up from where he was standing behind his Jedi. He taps the side of her arm in a subtly request for permission. She tips her head towards him and steps back to be beside him.

“Hold that thought, soldier,” Iresso says with a commanding presence that reminds Cody of Bacara and Gree, or Fox on a good day.

“Warden.” Is the petty response, which at least explains why there was no ranking on the man’s uniform – a warden is technically a civilian post.

“Warden, then. Let me ask a question. What planet are you calling us from?” Iresso asks without so much as missing a beat, and the eyes of the other human man standing behind them (Tharan Cedrax, Cody thinks) light up with a comprehension of _something_ , and he pulls a datapad from the inside of his long flowing red jacket.

“Belsavis, of course.” The warden responds, and with a flash of light from the datapad, a hologram flickers to life next to Cedrax. It takes the shape of a woman in a crop top and skirt,

“Belsavis is home to a highly secure republic prison used to contain prisoners with life sentences and war prisoners!” The hologram chimes in.

“Thank you, Holiday,” Cedrax responds.

“Anything for you, darling.” Holiday responds, and Cody sincerely hopes that Cedrax didn’t program that response. Or wait. Is it weirder if he’s actually in the relationship with the hologram? Food for terrible, terrible thoughts. Cody regrets that those thoughts are in his head now.

“Has something gone wrong at the prison?” The Barsen’thor steps back into the center of their hologram record and Iresso wordlessly steps back to make space for her in a move so smooth it reminds Cody of Bly and General Secura. Her hands, which up until now have been tucked closely at her sides, gesture in front of her, the only visible sign of her frustration.

“Yes. That’s what the briefing-”

“We are on our way, Warden, and then you can brief us in person.” The silver-haired Jedi gives a polite yet slightly strained smile, and with a flick of her wrist, shut off the holocall. As soon as the light on the holotable shows the call has disconnected, she and Iresso lock eyes, and then both burst out into giggles. Nadia, meanwhile, irritably crosses her arms and hums, looking Cody and Obi-Wan directly in the eyes.

“You are unbelievable.” She deadpans at them. Cody shrugs, and Obi-Wan just tucks his arms into his sleeves. Cody knows from experience that he has a very innocent _who me?_ expression on his face. Cody has a love/hate relationship with that expression. He has seen it in a great many situations, from when Cody returns his lightsaber to him, to other contexts far less appropriate to be thinking about in front of the child currently glaring at them.

“Felix and I are going to change the hyperspace co-ordinates!” The younger Jedi calls to the room, winding her hand in Iresso’s and pulling him along after her.

 _Oh yes, that’s definitely what they’re going off to do._ Cody’s lover's voice echoes in his mind, and it takes all of the self-control that was drilled into Cody on Kamino to avoid snorting out loud. He lightly kicks the back of the redhead’s legs instead.

“You two made it really hard to look attentive during all of that.” Nadia comments from where she has crossed the room to stand in front of them.

“My apologies.” Obi-Wan delivers the line with a smooth grin. Nadia snorts.

“Yeah, you’re not sorry at all.”

“Guilty as charged,” Cody responds before his lover can protest.

“Yeah, I figured. The lovebirds both do the same thing.” Nadia says with a gesture towards the cockpit. Cody snorts. Nadia grins at him. “I see you also have noticed our most adorable workplace romance.”

“Hey!” Cedrax protests from where he’s still chatting with the hologram – Holiday.

“Sorry T, still not over the whole hologram thing,” Nadia calls back with a grin. “No offense, Holiday.” She adds, and Holiday shoots her a thumbs up.

“Okay, what’s up with those two?” Cody asks the younger girl, who gives a helpless little shrug.

“I’m not really sure. They’re definitely together… somehow, but I don’t think they’re exclusive? Cedrax at least has implied that he had a brief fling with our favorite silver-haired Jedi, and she hasn’t denied it, so she probably knows more than I do, but, again, not something I need the details on.” Cody agrees. Also, he would hope that his jed’ika would have better taste than that. Given the sweet talk he’s currently tuning out, Cedrax is a flirt, and not a particularly talented one.

“This is pointless.” The green twi’lek rolls his eyes at all of them, his lekku twitching irritable. “Fess, come get me if something important happens.” He directs the comment at the trandosian who is sitting at a table in the corner, who dips his head in agreement. With that, the green twi’lek leaves the room.

“See you later Zenith!” Nadia calls after him and is totally ignored. “Geeze, what’s his problem?” She mutters irritably.

“He’s still mad that Balmorra chose Tai Cordon as their new president rather than him after we drove the empire out.” Cedrax chimes back in.

“That’s no reason for him to be such a jerk about everything,” Nadia mutters. “Why she invited him to join her crew, I’ll never understand.” At that, the trandosian cuts back in with a long statement. When he finishes, Cody turns to the protocol droid in the corner, who sees him and launches into a translation.

“Mr. Qyzen Fess says that the little herald invited Zenith to join her because he is dedicated to fighting the empire and very good at what he does.”

“… Little Herald?” Cedrax asks from where he has sprawled out over a couch opposite from Fess.

“It’s a title of respect, correct? It’s a reference to the heralds of the scorekeeper, a trandosian deity. The scorekeeper has heralds who represent them. They’re supposed to protect and guide gifted hunters to good hunting in exchange for their loyalty if I’m remembering correctly.” Obi-Wan chimes back in. Cody assumes his lover is right. When it comes to this kind of thing, he usually is. A quick nod from Fess confirms that.

“Huh, cool.” Nadia comments before she rounds on Cody and Obi-Wan. “Anyways, come on, you gotta tell us about yourselves now!” Obi-Wan opens his mouth to say something, but Nadia continues. “Come on, please? It’s not like we’ll ever meet anyone from the future again!”

“Oh, alright.” Obi-Wan agrees and settles down on the ground exactly where he was standing. Cody goes to find a chair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all the background characters wanted to speak today.

**Author's Note:**

> Cody: Today, I shall sleep in with my lover.  
> The Force: How about no


End file.
